Riviere de Galets Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

The next 16 days at Rivière de Galets (Réunion) look like a proper mixed bag. We’ve got a solid reef and point set-up that’s fairly consistent, but the wind is gonna be a real pain in the neck for a long stretch. The water is sitting at 76.5° – a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, which is nice.

The first week is a write-off, honestly. From Tuesday the 4th through to Monday the 10th, it’s all cross-shore winds, mostly from the east, blowing 19 to 19 mph. That’s kicking up a lumpy cross-chop, and the surf quality is poor to marginal at best. The swell is hanging around 6.9 ft to 8.2 ft, coming from the east or east-southeast, with a short period of 9 to 10 seconds. The combined energy is moderate to strong (around 1058 to 1881), but with that wind, you’re fighting a messy surface. Not worth paddling out for.

There’s a little shift on Monday afternoon the 10th – a new 3.0 ft swell from the southwest with a very long 18-second period, but the wind is still cross from the east at 16 mph, so it’s just a tease. The energy jumps up (1601), but conditions are still marginal.

Around Tuesday the 11th, the east swell tries to push through again at 8.2 ft, but it’s still cross-shore and choppy. The energy is getting strong (2127), but the wind just won’t let up. Not the time.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. On Friday the 14th of August, we’ve got a big pulse coming in: 9.8 ft from the south-southwest, with a period of 12 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 3989. The wind is still cross from the east-southeast at 16 mph, but the forecast says wind and tide are favorable. However, 9.8 ft is getting too big for this break – it’s going to be a mess, and only for the brave and experienced. Saturday the 15th follows with a 5.9 ft to 6.9 ft swell from the southwest with a very long 19 to 20-second period, and energy over 4000. That’s groundswell territory – it’ll be powerful and lined up, but with cross-shore wind, it’ll still be lumpy. Again, for experts only.

If you’re desperate, Sunday the 16th has a 7.5 ft swell from the south-southwest, 17-second period, energy at 3960, and the wind drops to 12 mph. It’s still cross, but it’s the best of a bad lot in the second week. After that, the swell fades through Monday and Tuesday, and we’re back to small, weak, and poor.

Honestly, there’s no standout clean day here. The wind is the enemy. If you’re a kiter, this setup might be more your thing than paddle surfing. The best bet for a surfer is probably the big stuff on the 14th and 15th, but only if you’re ready for a beating and you know how to handle a heavy, cross-shore reef.

Stay salty.

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